Euthymios (Agritellis) of Zela

New Hieromartyr Saint Euthymios (Agritellis) of Zela, known in the world as Eustratios Agritellis, was the last Bishop of the Diocese of Zela on the Pontus, which he served from 1911 until his death in May 1921.

Biography

Saint Euthymios was born in July 6, 1872 in Parakoula on Lesvos, where he started his education. At the age of nine, he entered Leimonos Monastery as a child, and was tonsured a monk eight years later, in 1899, with the Hegumen Archmandrite Anthimos Georgiellis giving him the name Euthymios.

He completed his general education at the monastery, and was then sent by the brotherhood to the Theological School of Halki, where he studied from 1900 to 1907. His thesis was titled "The purpose of monastic life in the East up to the 9th century AD."
After his graduation, he returned to the monastery, having been ordained a deacon in 1906 by Metropolitan Agathangelos of Grevena.

He then became a teacher, and was head of the Leimonos School. In 1910 he was ordained priest, and later received the title Protosyngellos of the Metropolis of Methymnos.

In 1911 in Constantinople, he was ordained as Bishop of the Diocese of Zela on the Pontus, which he served from 1911 until his death on May 1921, having the responsibility of about 340 parishes and 150,000 Greeks.

In 1921, by a decision of the Kemalist government, all the Metropolitans, Bishops, and Archimandrites of the Pontus region were obliged to abandon Pontus and leave their seats. The only hierarchs who did not obey this order were Metropolitan Chrysanthos of Trebizond, Bishop Euthymios, and the Protosyngellos Archimandrite of Amasya Platon Aivazidis.

It was because of his actions in support of the Greek side in the War in Asia Minor that he was captured by the Turkish armed forces on January 21, 1921. After suffering terrible tortures he gave up his soul to the Lord on May 29th, 1921.